Founded in 1894 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer, Marks and Spencer (M&S) opened its first store in Manchester, initially operating under the name St. Michael. The company gained recognition for its exclusively British-made products and established long-standing partnerships with various manufacturers and suppliers. M&S primarily focused on food and clothing within its product portfolio. In a significant move for British consumers, M&S introduced Asian food to its stores in 1974, which has since become a staple in the British shopping basket. The following year, M&S expanded its reach by opening several stores in mainland Europe and ventured into the Irish market in 1979.

M&S gained popularity among customers due to its reputation for offering value for money products and providing professional service to all patrons. A key aspect of their customer-friendly policies was the returns guarantee, which allowed customers to obtain a full refund on any clothing purchase, regardless of the original sale date, as long as they could provide a receipt.

In the late 1950s, M&S began selling specialty foods for the Christmas season. However, during the 1970s, customer interest in M&S sweet dessert offerings declined. To address this, the company brought in a food specialist who successfully revitalized the sweet range. Additionally, M&S made attempts to enter the Canadian market in the 1970s, but due to the perception of selling outdated clothing exclusively targeted at older individuals, the stores failed to generate profits. Consequently, all M&S stores in Canada closed by the end of 1999.

In 2001, M&S launched Per Una, a clothing collection designed for women. In 2008, the company expanded its reach further by opening its first store in China. However, the Shanghai store faced initial challenges with delayed food supplies.

Over time, M&S extended its product offerings to include own-brand perfumes and body care products. Notably, the fragrance Florentyna, which incorporates jasmine, gardenia, and musk, became a bestseller. Additionally, the collection Per Una features a casual scent with notes of magnolia, jasmine, rose, freesia, woods, heliotrope, and patchouli. Recent fragrance launches include Butterfly, Midnight Butterfly, and Hello Kitty! London, all introduced in 2010. M&S has a total of 77 perfumes in its fragrance base, with the earliest edition dating back to 2010 and the newest released in 2023. The fragrances were developed by perfumer Ralf Schwieger.